Sea Palling
Encyclopedia
Sea Palling is a village and a civil parish
covering 11.05 km² (4.3 sq mi) in the English
county of Norfolk
. The village is 19.6 miles (31.5 km) south-east of Cromer
, 19.6 miles (31.5 km) north-east of Norwich
and 140 miles (225.3 km) north-east of London
. The village lies 4 mi (6.4 km) east of the A149
between Kings Lynn and Great Yarmouth
. The nearest railway station is at North Walsham
for the Bittern Line
which runs between Sheringham
, Cromer and Norwich.
Its story has been inextricably linked to the sea since pre-history. The town of Waxham Parva disappeared under the waves together with its church and the large estate of Gelham Hall. One of the earliest accounts was written by John of Oxendes, a monk at nearby St Benet's Abbey, in which he relates the destruction wrought by the great storm of 1287
"...the sea, agitated by the violence of the wind, burst through its accustomed limits, occupying towns, fields and other places adjacent to the coast ... it suffocated or drowned men and women sleeping in their beds, with infants in their cradles ... and it tore up houses from their foundations, with all they contained and threw them into the sea with irrevocable damage". Several more incursions occurred over the centuries and by 1604 neighbouring Eccles on Sea
had lost 66 houses and over 1000 acres (4 km²) of land. Just 3 years later Palling's defences were breached and Waxham was flooded in 1655 and 1741. Lack of proper maintenance of the dunes led to continuous breaches and it was not until C19 that a programme of sea defence work was started. The North Sea flood of 1953
took the lives of 7 villagers - some of the 100 who perished in Norfolk alone. (A memorial plaque is in St Margaret's Church). Following this tragedy the sea wall was extended in 1986 and in 1995 the Environment Agency undertook a multi-million pound project erecting nine barrier reefs.
Of course the sea also provided opportunities for the villagers - smuggling being one which reached its peak in the mid 1770's. Revenue cutters patrolled the coast and there were seizures of tea, Geneva and other spirits on several occasions and it is reputed that Palling was the headquarters of a band of armed smugglers. To counter this a Coastguard service was established in 1822 and a station built at Palling, which contributed to a decline in smuggling. Alongside this there was also salvage work. Local fishermen became organised into companies and bought themselves fast sailing yawls. There were two beach companies based at Palling, known locally as the Blues and the Whites. It was a perilous occupation and the demands for exorbitant payments may be excusable given the dangers involved. The companies prospered with the increase in maritime shipping and by 1838 had brick built sheds for storage and a lookout built to watch over the Haisborough Sands
. Tragically on 16 December 1842 one of the boats was lost with 5 crew and a few weeks later a yawl went down with the loss of 7 crew. The impact on the village was immense as most of the drowned were young men with families.
The coast is still hazardous and in December 1948 a steamer "The Bosphorous" was ensnared on the offshore Haisborough Sands and its cargo of oranges was jettisoned. To a populace emerging from the privations of war, the sight of the beaches strewn with loose and crated oranges was "miraculous" and revived another Palling custom that of plunder! The inhabitants of 1948 could trace this pastime back for centuries when the scavengers of wrecks were known as "pawkers", despite the attempts of the Lords of the Manor to claim all shipwreck. Perhaps the greatest coup was the wreck of "Lady Agatha" in 1768 with a cargo valued at £50,000 - none of which was recovered by authorities.
Away from the sea, the villages maintained an agricultural existence.
There was also, for a time, some brick making. The bricks were transported by wherry along the New Cut to various Broadland staithes. The industry ended around the start of the 20th century and the kilns dismantled.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
covering 11.05 km² (4.3 sq mi) in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. The village is 19.6 miles (31.5 km) south-east of Cromer
Cromer
Cromer is a coastal town and civil parish in north Norfolk, England. The local government authority is North Norfolk District Council, whose headquarters is in Holt Road in the town. The town is situated 23 miles north of the county town, Norwich, and is 4 miles east of Sheringham...
, 19.6 miles (31.5 km) north-east of Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
and 140 miles (225.3 km) north-east of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The village lies 4 mi (6.4 km) east of the A149
A149 road
The A149 is a major route in Norfolk, linking Kings Lynn to Great Yarmouth. It runs via the coast rather than on a more direct route such as the A47. The eastern section runs through The Broads.-Kings Lynn to Wells next the Sea:...
between Kings Lynn and Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
. The nearest railway station is at North Walsham
North Walsham railway station
North Walsham is a railway station in the town of North Walsham in the English county of Norfolk. The station is served by local services operated by National Express East Anglia on the Bittern Line from Norwich to Cromer and Sheringham...
for the Bittern Line
Bittern Line
The Bittern Line is a railway line from Norwich to Cromer then Sheringham in Norfolk, England. It is one of the most scenic in the East of England traversing the Norfolk Broads on its route to the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the North Norfolk Coast. The line is part of the Network Rail...
which runs between Sheringham
Sheringham
Sheringham is a seaside town in Norfolk, England, west of Cromer.The motto of the town, granted in 1953 to the Sheringham Urban District Council, is Mare Ditat Pinusque Decorat, Latin for "The sea enriches and the pine adorns"....
, Cromer and Norwich.
History
The Domesday Book (1086) records that Palling comprised 9 villagers and 14 smallholders. There were 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) of meadow, 14 wild mares, 2 cobs, 23 pigs and 71 sheep with a total value of £4.00. It was surrounded by areas of salt marsh.Its story has been inextricably linked to the sea since pre-history. The town of Waxham Parva disappeared under the waves together with its church and the large estate of Gelham Hall. One of the earliest accounts was written by John of Oxendes, a monk at nearby St Benet's Abbey, in which he relates the destruction wrought by the great storm of 1287
St. Lucia's flood
St. Lucia's flood was a storm tide that affected the Netherlands and Northern Germany on December 14, 1287 when a dike broke during a storm, killing approximately 50,000 to 80,000 people in the fifth largest flood in recorded history. Much land was permanently flooded in what is now the Waddenzee...
"...the sea, agitated by the violence of the wind, burst through its accustomed limits, occupying towns, fields and other places adjacent to the coast ... it suffocated or drowned men and women sleeping in their beds, with infants in their cradles ... and it tore up houses from their foundations, with all they contained and threw them into the sea with irrevocable damage". Several more incursions occurred over the centuries and by 1604 neighbouring Eccles on Sea
Eccles on Sea
Eccles-on-Sea is an ancient Norfolk coastal fishing village, now virtually all swept into the North Sea.- History :...
had lost 66 houses and over 1000 acres (4 km²) of land. Just 3 years later Palling's defences were breached and Waxham was flooded in 1655 and 1741. Lack of proper maintenance of the dunes led to continuous breaches and it was not until C19 that a programme of sea defence work was started. The North Sea flood of 1953
North Sea flood of 1953
The 1953 North Sea flood was a major flood caused by a heavy storm, that occurred on the night of Saturday 31 January 1953 and morning of 1 February 1953. The floods struck the Netherlands, Belgium, England and Scotland.A combination of a high spring tide and a severe European windstorm caused a...
took the lives of 7 villagers - some of the 100 who perished in Norfolk alone. (A memorial plaque is in St Margaret's Church). Following this tragedy the sea wall was extended in 1986 and in 1995 the Environment Agency undertook a multi-million pound project erecting nine barrier reefs.
Of course the sea also provided opportunities for the villagers - smuggling being one which reached its peak in the mid 1770's. Revenue cutters patrolled the coast and there were seizures of tea, Geneva and other spirits on several occasions and it is reputed that Palling was the headquarters of a band of armed smugglers. To counter this a Coastguard service was established in 1822 and a station built at Palling, which contributed to a decline in smuggling. Alongside this there was also salvage work. Local fishermen became organised into companies and bought themselves fast sailing yawls. There were two beach companies based at Palling, known locally as the Blues and the Whites. It was a perilous occupation and the demands for exorbitant payments may be excusable given the dangers involved. The companies prospered with the increase in maritime shipping and by 1838 had brick built sheds for storage and a lookout built to watch over the Haisborough Sands
Haisborough Sands
Haisborough Sands is a sandbank off the coast of Norfolk, England at Happisburgh. The shoal is long and wide and lies parallel to the North east coast of Norfolk. The shoal is marked to the north-west by north by the Haisbro Light Buoy, North cardinal...
. Tragically on 16 December 1842 one of the boats was lost with 5 crew and a few weeks later a yawl went down with the loss of 7 crew. The impact on the village was immense as most of the drowned were young men with families.
The coast is still hazardous and in December 1948 a steamer "The Bosphorous" was ensnared on the offshore Haisborough Sands and its cargo of oranges was jettisoned. To a populace emerging from the privations of war, the sight of the beaches strewn with loose and crated oranges was "miraculous" and revived another Palling custom that of plunder! The inhabitants of 1948 could trace this pastime back for centuries when the scavengers of wrecks were known as "pawkers", despite the attempts of the Lords of the Manor to claim all shipwreck. Perhaps the greatest coup was the wreck of "Lady Agatha" in 1768 with a cargo valued at £50,000 - none of which was recovered by authorities.
Away from the sea, the villages maintained an agricultural existence.
There was also, for a time, some brick making. The bricks were transported by wherry along the New Cut to various Broadland staithes. The industry ended around the start of the 20th century and the kilns dismantled.
External links
- Village website
- Google Maps and Bing Maps - Aerial photo of wave diffractionDiffractionDiffraction refers to various phenomena which occur when a wave encounters an obstacle. Italian scientist Francesco Maria Grimaldi coined the word "diffraction" and was the first to record accurate observations of the phenomenon in 1665...
through the sea barriers.